Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (41 page)

“We
studied
about
that
in
Sunday
School.”
The
bed
creaked
when
Vannie
sat
up
in
it.
The
sound
was
so
familiar
to
Aggie
that
it
shot
an
ache
into
her
heart.
She’d
sat
up
just
the
same
way
when
talking
to
her
father
in
that
same
bed
years
ago.
If
she
knew
Luke,
he’d
be
leaning
over
the
end,
his
forearms
resting
on
the
wrought
iron.
Her
head
barely
peeked
around
the
corner
long
enough
to
verify
her
suspicion.
Yep.
Standing
there
just
as
she
expected.

“Save
your
vows
for
your
wedding
day.
Plan
to
save
your
affection
for
your
husband
if
you
like,
but
don’t
make
vows
like
that.
It
isn’t
right,
Vannie.
We
need
to
do
what
J
esus
said
and
not
vow
or
swear
anything—just
say
yes
or
no
as
the
occasion
warrants.
We
don’
t
know
what
life
brings.”

“Did
Grandpa
say
you
could
kiss
Aunt
Aggie’s
cheek
like
that?”
Vannie
giggled.
“I
know
Grandma
did,
but…”

“He
said
it
was
ok.
Any
kiss
I’d
give
my
mother
or
sisters—
if
it
didn’t
involve
her
lips—was
ok.
He
was
sticking
to
what
Aggie
meant—no
lip
lock
before
the
preacher
says
she’s
a
wife.
”

“
Lip
lock.”
She
giggled
again.
“Older
people
have
the
silliest
terms
for
things.”

Silence
again.
At
last,
Luke
said,
“Are
you
ok
with
it
all
now,
Vannie?
Do
you
understand?”

“Yeah…
I
think
so.
I
just
think
it’d
be
cool
to
make
a
vow
like
that.
It’d
protect
me
from
being
stupid
someday
and—”

“It’d
make
you
feel
good
to
do
something
self-sacrificing
for
the
Lord,”
Luke
interjected
uncharacteristically.

“Well,
yeah.
I
mean,
He
died
for
me,
the
least—”

“You
could
do
is
worry
less
about
the
glory
of
being
so
spiritual
as
to
make
such
a
self-sacrificing
vow
and
simply
obey
His
W
ord
to
put
aside
vows
and
swearing
like
that.
This
is
about
getting
glory
for
Vannie,
not
honoring
the
Lord.”

Behind
the
wall,
Aggie
swallowed
hard.
Luke’s
words
struck
at
the
heart
of
the
lesson
her
father
had
tried
to
teach
her.
Even
knowing
that
she’d
been
foolish,
there
had
always
been
a
little
bit
of
pride
in
her
choice.
She
had
made
the
ultimate
teenage
sacrifice
to
bring
honor
to…
herself.
It
was
such
a
letdown.

Vannie
finally
spoke
once
more.
“You’re
right.
I
didn’t
want
to
admit
it,
but
you’re
right.
I
wanted
to
be
able
to
tell
some
guy
that
I
had
made
a
vow
never
to
kiss
anyone
but
my
husband.
It
sounded
spiritual
in
my
mind.
It
sounds
so
silly
now.”